With just three weeks left in the regular season, every game means a little bit more to the Baltimore Orioles.
Baltimore finds itself in a tight race in the American League East, and it will try to finish a six-game homestand with a winning record when it faces the visiting Tampa Bay Rays on Sunday afternoon.
After taking two of three games from the Chicago White Sox to open the homestand, the Orioles (82-61) have split the first two contests of this three-game series with Tampa Bay. They are coming off Saturday’s 7-1 loss to the Rays.
With its latest setback, Baltimore dropped into second place in the AL East and is now a half-game behind the New York Yankees. It’s been hard for the Orioles to find their groove since the All-Star break, as the club is 24-23 in the second half of the season.
“We’re watching to see what’s going on around the league,” Baltimore manager Brandon Hyde said. “We’re tired, but our guys are doing a great job of grinding through it, and I expect us to finish the season strong.”
Orioles shortstop Gunnar Henderson said Baltimore still has time to find its form from earlier in the season, when the team carried a 53-31 record into the month of July.
“Just play ball. There’s not really a secret formula,” Henderson said. “Just go out there and continue to play hard. It’s bound to flip around at some point.”
The Rays (70-72) likely will come up short of an AL wild-card spot, but Saturday’s victory certainly helped their chances of snatching one. Center fielder Jose Siri gave Tampa Bay an extra boost by taking away a homer from Henderson in the fourth.
“That’s a game-changer,” Rays shortstop Taylor Walls said of Siri’s grab during a postgame interview with Bally Sports Florida & Sun. “He makes that catch, it takes the momentum and all of the noise out of the stadium.”
Siri’s defensive gem was anything but a welcome sight for an Orioles team that hasn’t been hitting for pop. Fourteen of Baltimore’s 17 hits over the past three games have been singles.
“You’ve got to take advantage of opportunities there early to swing the game, get a little momentum going early,” Hyde said. “Just didn’t do it (on Saturday).”
The Orioles will send ace Corbin Burnes (13-7, 3.19 ERA) to the mound in the series finale. The right-hander snapped a personal three-game losing streak with a win against the Chicago White Sox on Monday, giving up two runs (one earned) on six hits in five innings.
Burnes’ two career starts against Tampa Bay have come this year. The 29-year-old is 1-0 with a 2.08 ERA against the Rays.
Right-hander Zack Littell (5-9, 4.04) will be on the mound for Tampa Bay. He is set to make his second start since a stint on the injured list because of fatigue in his throwing shoulder.
On Monday, Littell lasted just four innings against the Minnesota Twins, taking a loss after surrendering four runs and seven hits.
Littell is 0-2 with a 3.28 ERA in six career appearances (four starts) vs. Baltimore.
–Field Level Media
